


Remember

by orphan_account



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Lawyers, Angst, Eventual Romance, Fluff, M/M, Possible smut, Rating May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 00:43:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9212153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Born with the ability of having unnaturally vivid photographic memories, it'd be understandable why others so often refer to him a child prodigy, but for the record, Tobio has always livedー or at least hehopesto liveー an average life.Everything starts to change however when he encounters one of the most life-changing experience. It starts after the day where he stands in the court, an echoing sound of a wooden pallet hammer being tapped filled his ears and resonates throughout the whole courtroomー and yes,yes,he knows what that means, but that doesn't mean he is prepared. With the words of the judge pledging guilty, he doubts that he's going to forget this anytime soon.Tobio isn't going to forget any of this.





	

**Author's Note:**

> so i poSTED THIS WORK BEFORE but then i deleted it since i??? have no idea how to continue this story… i mean, i got the plot sorted out but it it’s concerning with laws and stuffs, so it’s bound to get… complicated along the way, leaving me lost bcs i’m not experienced in that area. but after some insight with my teacher who is becoming a lawyer soon enough, i did a little research so here i am, back w/ this story!!

Tobio couldn’t exactly put a finger on what it is, but he knows that it always feel quite refreshing to bask in the whisky scents of milk and toasted bread that long protrudes the whole room and his nose.

The ambiance of the kitchen he remains in is calm. There is a peaceful tranquility lingering, accompanied by the whirring sounds of a fan which almost makes him forget about how incredibly hot the house is at that moment. It must be today's weather that makes the house more hot and cramped than the usual, he reasons, but it could also be due to the lack of any air conditioner in his homeー or, it could be _both_ but Tobio however, has yet to find a heart to file in any complaints.

Sure, his home might not be _fancy_ but at least, it’s not poor in terms of taste. The house has been quaint and cozy but above all, it is simple enough for both him and his father to live in. They have no choice back then when they move out from their old house, and so far, this is the only place they manage to find it that is suited to both their tastes and it has been affordable enough for them to reside in. To put it in short, Tobio is a simple young man who does is not particularly pickyー once he feels content with the things he has, then he settles down. Well, most of the time, he _does_ try.

 _The fan is enough_ , Tobio says inwardly, _there’s no need for them to get an air conditioner even if they’re sweating a lot during summer seasons._

It isn’t until then when Tobio rises from his seat, he realizes that he’s running late for college. Long strides are taken across the room, and he changes into his uniform as quickly as he could. With the strap of his bag over his shoulders and the last piece of toast bitten between his teeth as he promptly puts on his shoes by the entrance, the dark-haired boy feels more than ready to head out.

"Tobio!" A voice rings out to him from the living room, and Tobio whips his head around to see his father.

He is unsure what to expect at first but there is warmth bubbling up in his chest when he is greeted by the sight of his father holding up his bento in a patterned cloak. His father shoots him a heartwarming grin, and at that point, Tobio can't help but be unable to resist a faint smile. 

"You almost forgot your bento."

Tobio makes sure to thank him afterwards, diligently taking the carefully wrapped bento into his hands. "Are you heading to work again?" He questions the older man despite how full his mouth is of his light breakfast that makes his phrasing sound all jumbled up but miraculously enough, his father understands him no less.

“Well…” His father starts, chuckling, and Tobio feels his brows coming to knit together in concern at this point when he notices how forced his father’s laughter sounds. He is trying to be concern, although the look he has on his face is quite questionable since he seems to be more agitated rather than expressing his worry. His look quickly melts away by the time his father answers him. "Of course, I am. Now that your mother is gone, someone has to do some extra work."

Tobio stiffens upon hearing this, and like a trigger, his memory suddenly comes back to him at the mere mention of his mother. An unwelcoming picture creeps in from the back of his mind, and Tobio realizes that he could still outline every single pictural detail from that day vividlyー _it's disturbing._ Honestly, he doesn't want to remember it at all but it's **_hard_** and all in all, the flashback is starting to make his stomach lurch and it's not in the good way. He falters to display any sort of emotional response to this however; he simply nods at his father's answer, lick his chapped lips, and say no more in an attempt of letting the conversation die down.

"I'm going to be back sometime around midnight. Do you have a part time job today? Do you have your own keys with you?"

He opens his mouth to answer that _no, he thinks he has lost his keys for a bit while now_ , but he still has a mouthful of toast as he tries to speak and it would seem that his father isn’t sticking around long enough for an answer as he promptly nudges the keys into Tobio’s chest before leaving for work.

Tobio locks up the door then immediately heads off for his classes after that.

* * *

"One order for Green Tea Mocha coming up."

Tobio cautiously slides the beverage onto the counter where the customer waitsー and he doesn’t bother to wear a smile on his face. He is already told a countless of times that his smile doesn't resemble one in the slightest. Perhaps it is a good thing that the customers picks their order up without any haste, words of gratitude being muttered underneath their breath before they walk to leave the shop. Once they were gone, he relishes in the moment of relaxation; shoulders slumping, and his frown has miraculously turned more into a frown while the creases on his fore begins to wrinkle some more.

On the contrary to his emotionally constipated face, Tobio enjoys the peaceful moments like these in his workplace. He finds it comforting, a whiff of the delicious scent of coffee and milk along with a trace of vanilla lingering in the air, it reminds him of _home_. It's night time by now, and it's the little things like these that never once falter to calm him after a considerably rough day. He has to deal with a few customers that could be considered a handful, his homeworks and assignments from college are piling up day by day, and whatmore, he's becoming more aware of the bill from home that has yet to be paid. Truthfully, Tobio feels stressed with all this amount of stuffs and memories packing up at the back of his mind.

"Had a rough day?" A voice behind him pipes up.

Tobio does not budge from where he stand. He remains in his spot, his chin resting atop of a hand with his appearance sharing a striking resemblance to one of the dead. He does however avert his gaze to the corner of his eyes and catches a glimpse of Tadashi leaning against a frame that leads to the kitchen. Tadashi is shooting him a haughty smile and presumably two cups of latte in his hands.

Lips twitching, Tobio doesn’t know how to reply nor does he want to, so he makes some undignified noises in response. It might be a fortunate thing that the latter decide to make no remarks, but instead, makes his way towards him and hands him his drink.

"... Thanks." He mutters softly in return, feeling a little both grateful and awkward or the act of generosity. He takes a sip from the cup, and instantly, he could feel the steamed milk does its wonder that eases his mind.

"So," Tadashi starts, and Tobio knows what is about to come when the shorter male moves to stand next to him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Tobio answers him blatantly, though a bit too quickly, he must say, as he if he had been predicting this to happen.

"That doesn't sound like nothing." Tadashi calmly replies, and Tobio almost has to curse at how sharp has his co-worker became over the last few months.

"Spill."

"... I was wondering." So, Tobio begins, but he first has to rack his brain in search of words to express his thoughts. Tadashi is kind enough to let him confide in him at his pace, and it’s this action alone that encourages the raven in a way once he decides on how to relay his message. 

“Have you ever had any memory of something that is completely useless but it's still ingrained in your brain?"

For a moment, Tadashi pauses to think. "Oh, you mean like having a knowledge of something that you think it won't be useful for you?"

"No." Tobio reluctantly denies the given concept of the question, but considers it again when he has his second thoughts. "Well, umー … close.”

"Close, hm? Then what do you mean?" Tadashi Is staring at him now, and he knows that there is now no backing out. He shifts around, his eyes averting to some place else while he inwardly keeps debating if this has been a good idea or not.

He wants to explain, he tries to do soー but with his voice caught up in his throat and for him to be not completely associated with doing words, it’s difficult. (  _Yes, he might be good at remembering a lot of things, but that_ doesn't _necessarily mean he's good at learning or making words, stuff like that._ ) Yet neither of them pay mind to it and he proceeds to make an attempt in explaining furthermore even if he badly sucks at it. It’s more or less an explanation of one thing he never once let others know, and it matters; it matters a lot since this is what takes up a big piece that makes him who he is.

"I mean, like, you… You remember things," He goes, fingers beginning to thrum lightly against the countertop beneath him. "You remember things, even the smallest details. Like the way how a straw is positioned in a stranger's drink, how it’s bent, the color, and its backgroundー you remember everything in that moment and the next one. It’s like… a picture frame after picture frame. When you're walking down a city, every single car that you've passed by and car plates seen even for a short second. Somehow, you remember them as well and end up having a bunch of car plate numbers in your head which _never_ goes away and only piles up more over the years."

There is a hint of emotion that is underlying within his message if listened closely. Confusion, lacing with a tone of despair, but it is masked carefully as his face remains indifferent.

"And no matter how much you try to forget... You... still kinda end up remembering _everything?_ " He stops his sentence ends at there. However, the problem does not. These things he render as no value are stuck in his mind like a plaque, but there are also other things in there that has value and by this, he isn't only pointing to the positive kind of values. What he means are the bad memories that is still getting to him where he stands today.

 _It's really strange,_ he thinks to himself as he regards this an ability that is inhumane. For a person to process absolutely everything that happens in front of them and remember them with no effort, it usually takes an incredibly great deal of memory capacity to do so but is it even _possible_ to have a seemingly limitless memory capacity? Surely, there must be a limit… right?

"Do you... have that?" He questions once more, eyes of an oceanic hue now boring into the brown ones of his co-worker's. Tadashi sheepishly reaches a hand to rub at the back of his neck and flashes him an apologetic smile.

"No, I don't think so..." The latter replies, and really, it’s expected. He knows it even before he could have the chance to open his mouth and ask him the question, and yet, he still asks. Maybe he just needs to get this off his chest, after all, because his chest oddly feels... a little more light.

“Why do you ask?”

Tobio averts his gaze again.

“... Nothing.”

"Hm, but that sounds a bit strange though. It’s like a super memory or something." Tadashi tries to make further comments, and Tobio has to agree with him on the notion of it being strange. "But you know, I remembered reading something similar to what you said!"

Tobio gives a thoughtful look. "Really?"

"Yeah," Tadashi hums, "I think it was from an article where I had to do a case study for Psychology."

He is surprised when he hears this. His mouth slightly hangs agape because it never once struck the raven that there might be an article written on cases as similar to his. Whilst he does wonder beforehand if there has been anyone who experienced the same stimulation as he has, he never did think that there could be a real possibility of it being true. He's paying close attention to Tadashi now, but his eyes remain glued onto the continuously spewed out cloud of steam from the swirling creamy liquid in his cup.

"Ever heard of photographic memory?" The brunet nudges at him.

He nods, a bit too vigorously. "Heard of it."

Before they could dwell on the matter any further, both ears perk up at the sound of bell that chimes in from the entrance. Their focus is successfully enraptured as they turn their heads to see a young male stumbling into the cafe. 

Tobio squints, and then he just has to cringe at the _obnoxiously_ orange colored hair of the newcomer, and then, he feels this urge for him to point it out, but he knows not to make a comment on it. Otherwise, he definitely would be filed in a complaint for his lack of customer service again and he knows that it'd be a knack for trouble since Daichi would be the one there to reprimand him.

"We can talk about this later." Tadashi says, and Tobio nods at him. They both move in preparation for today's yet another work.

The male who stumbles in earlier is now walking up to the counter, and Tobio has to admitー now that he's further up close, obnoxious as the orange hair color may be, he could say that it suits him. He takes in the image of the boy before him; strands of orange hair are splayed in almost every direction, and his bangs has perfectly portrayed the frame of his small and delicate face, what more with his wide amber eyes that appeared to be beaming up at him. The drastic height difference between them that is realized later on does not helpー at all. With that said, therefore, it would be natural to presume that he was younger than him.

 _Who is he kidding?_ Tobio thinks. _This kid has to be in middle school or something._

"Hello!" The customer greets him with a bright smile, and for a moment, Tobio doesn't know how to breathe. He knows that he's doomed once this conversation starts because the embodiment of this image is going to become permanently stuck in his mind. It would have been an expressive figurative phrase, exaggerated even, only if it has not been _literal_ in his case.

"Uh, h- _hi_ ー what would you like to order?" It takes him seconds and a large amount of courage to muster a word, but he manages, and for once, he takes pride in himself for being able to have some control.

"Could I have a Caramel Macchiato please? And make it sweet!" The boy orders and Tobio has to squint again at how bright he seems before him. His lips line up sternly into a frown and it takes him a good few seconds to know that the other is still smiling brightly at him, but he convinces himself into thinking that it was for another reason.

"How sweet?" He nearly grumbles as he moves along, a hand swiftly pressing down the keys onto the cashier machine and types down the purchase of order.

"How sweet..." His question is repeated by the customer, a tongue peeking out from the corner of his lips and _nope_ , Tobio definitely does _not_ find it endearing. "Um. Like, _very_ sweet."

Until he hears his answer that couldn't be more than the obvious.

He tries not to roll his eyes, but it’s hard to do so since he tends to be honest and completely blatant. "I know, _dumbass_. I'm asking about how much sugar you want it to be put inside." Unfortunately for him, before he even becomes aware of it, the words has already come out of his mouth. Realization dawns on him a little later on, and he tries to take it back, but it’s already too late.

"Wh-whaー **_rude!_ ** I'm not a dumbass! You are!" Carrot-head shouts back at him, and his bright cheery smile is now replaced by an angry pout that makes him look more like a bristling baby bird with its feathers puffed out.

Tobio stiffens in his place, and if he could, he would palm himself so hard for acting on an impulse if it isn't for the redhead standing in front of him, trying to glare at him. It’s at this very moment when Tobio wants nothing more else in the world than to be groveled into his grave underneath the soil and cement.

It'd be understandable to say that Tobio is now a little frustrated at himself. His dampened mood sours more, and he assumes that his thoughts must have become visible on his face somehow because it’s not long after that when he notices the other boy squeaking and back several inches away from the counter. Tobio feels his lip twitchー he's scaring the customer away. _Again_.

“Y-y-you wanna g-go?”

" _Just_. Just forget it." Tobio spits out, calmly, and trying to fight down the storm that is brewing in his chest. "How much sugar do you want?"

Carrothead ( _he decides to call him that_  ) loosens up quickly and gives him a ridiculous look. 

"Um. M-make it a little more sweet than the usual. P-please..." He hears him respond, barely audibly but loud enough to be understood, and he nods to let him know that his order is taken before he steps away to prepare the beverage himself.

 

"Here."

After some time of vast concentration put into making the drink, Tobio is able to complete the order in such a short time. He moves to pass the drink to the carrothead but not before biting on his lips due to earlier incident, and admittedly, Tobio is starting to feel bad.

Throughout the whole time he works on making the drink, from the corner of his eyes where the image is still retained in his head, he knows for certain that the boy has been fidgeting about. From the way he’s behaving, he deduces that the other must have thought that he is angry at him, or maybe _weird_ even, but he couldn't exactly blame him.

"T-thank you." The thankful words are exchanged, and the tip is collected by then. Tobio, not exactly one to be social, could only contemplate on the ways on how to apologize at the meantime. He can be awkward at times in making social contact, and there goes the fact he isn't good at wordsー in the end, he resorts to another way in relaying his apology. When he sees that the shorter male is about to leave, he stops him in time by reaching out to him.

"Wait." Tobio breathes out a bit too rushed and he almost cringes at how desperate he sounds.

Luckily for him, the other has heed to his request, and he curses inwardly at the new ( _he adamantly refuses to say that it was cute_ ) sight of him staring at him, looking bewildered. Without further ado, Tobio takes out a paper bag from a drawer below and promptly shoves into it a cupcake from the display case beside the cashier counter, the other's eyes stuck on him throughout the whole while.

Returning to his spot, he hands the bag out to the shorter male, a faint blob of red tinges his cheeks and he’s avoiding his gaze the whole time without any udder of a single word in fear of embarrassment. 

The redhead holds onto it, movements slow and Tobio releases it once he secures a grip on the bagー a form of acceptance, and he grants this as an opportunity for him to speak up in order to clean up the confusion.

"... Just now."

"Huh?"

"This... Uh, for _just now_. Didn't mean... to insult you." He mutters.

"... You really suck at apologizing, huh?"

Perhaps he is stupefied, maybe not too, but when he lifts up his chin and almostー _almost_ lashes out at Carrothead again, he didn't expect for a full blown smile to etch on the lips of the stranger when he beams up at him. So, he decided to say no more and stay still, letting the unruly comment to pass through.

The shorter male leaves after a little while, and Tobio sighs in big relief as he has been the only person who is there at the time.

He glances at the clock, not entirely thrilled to know that it won't be long until his shift is over and someone would come in to take over his place because that means he’ll have to leave this cozy place and face the reality of leaving his homeworks undone.

"That was some cute customer you got there!" He swerves to the side where he hears the voice came from, and he is startled to see his senior who is going to be in charge of the next shift. His senior just stands there, behind the doorframe with a knowing grin on his lips, and Tobio knows that look calls for trouble.

"You should probably ask for his number the next time he comes back. Did you at least get his name?"

"Sugawara-san. Please.  _No_." Tobio grunts at him. "And I doubt that he's coming back."

Koushi merely laughs it off, deftly taking an apron that hangs from a stand and proceeds to wear it on. "Oh, come onー lighten up!" He grins teasingly, "It's hard to find a partner nowadays, he seems nice too! And  _don't_ think I didn't see you giving him that cupcake without charging him."

Tobio makes some disgruntled noises. "Please don't tell Daichi.”

"I make no promises."

"What is it? Did Kageyama encounter a love at first sight?" Tadashi peeks through a small windowsill behind them.

"Oh, he did!"

"Did _not_."

"Heyー where are you going?"

"Home." He replies before exiting the cashier section.

Well, that is the truth. Both Koushi and Tadashi figure that they have nothing to be worried about as they watch Tobio removing his apron and move to gather his thingsー a bag of few treats and drinks they know that he'll be giving to his fatherー before returning back home; they both are also aware of how straightforward he could be, never mind that he can be brash at times when it comes to speaking his own mind. With a wave of a hand and greetings being exchanged, Tobio leaves his duty into the hands of his faithfully trusted companions at work.

* * *

Now, there are not much things to be said about Kageyama Tobio.

He likes to think that he _is_ normal; he would like to believe that he could be no more than an average boy. He knows though, he is completely aware of the fact that there are few things about him that distinguishes him from an ordinary person. One of the prime examples include this very ability of his to remember every single detail in the scenario he was inー and his precise description of scenes that has ever unfolded before him.

He supposes that he has been labelled as a prodigy genius, _a gifted student,_ due to this. He used to be at the top notch of his class, his report cards containing the results every parents sought from their children, but most of all, this happens when he was at a young age.

Tobio is quick to learn that he is not like the other children. Unlike them, he renders the notion of studying for a test as few things that didn't require his effort; he could simply dig into his memories and used the knowledge he retains then try to understand and use it from there. _No_ , that is **not** normal. Normal children are supposed to be studying before a test for some time and try to remember while taking in on what they were studying. Normal children do _not_  simply remember things that they've seen on spot. He has also learned later on that whenever he tried to point out on a rather insignificant detail, people would often throw him an inquisitive look, and after he is called _weird_ , since then, he stops doing that.

It _isn't_ normal, it screams too much for it to be called unique. For him to remember what exactly happened since the prime of his childhood and onto his years of puberty, he is never one to be considered forgetful. By the near final year of his middle school, it’s a last minute decision, but Tobio has already decided to try become normal instead. He does this by purposely writing down a wrong answer, every examination that he's done is failed by an intention. With no one being aware of his conditionー _no, not even his parents because he never did tell them_ ー he thought that his parents would be disappointed with him. No, but instead, it’s his tutors who has taken the role.

Constant support is given by his parents instead, and they believe that the fault does not belong to him but the stress, then proceed to advise him in taking things more easy, which comes by as a big surpriseー because honestly, he doesn't know what he has done to deserve any of his parents’ kindness. Maybe, it’s because he’s their child and it has something to do with parents caring for their children. But at least, he gets to remember his sweet valued memories with his parents.

However, this is only speaking of the positive side.

 

Tobio is coming close to the neighborhood he lives in when he witnesses strange familiar streaks of lights blaring with sirens around the area. Upon coming to a close inspection, it is then he notices that police officers are surrounding his house and a few of his neighbors are standing outside in the dead cold of the night.

The treats he carried in a plastic bag that night are simply dropped onto the ground, and quickly, Tobio lets his legs carry him to where the scene is taking place.

"Excuse meー” He calls out to one of the police officers and he’s starting to feel shaky, and panic is settling in.  “What happened? W-why is there police around my house?" The questions are instantly spewed out when he arrives, and the sudden thought of the possible attempted ransom at his home is worrying him to no end. The fact that he receives no reply from the cops doesn’t exactly help either, but they only gave him a stern gaze and it’s starting to make him think that something else but serious has happened.

"Kageyama Tobio?"

"... Yes," He answer slowly, crinkling his fore in confusion. "That's me."

There is some silence that hangs dead in the air above them. It takes time, it would seem that the cop is trying to decideー but given the look in his eyes, Tobio is now sure it is something serious. He waits, even if his patience was running thin by now, he needs to know what was happening. "Your father is under arrest." The cop finally says with no falter in his words.

Of all things, he least expects that.

"... _What?"_ He chokes out, not believing what is said, and it’s as though everything stops at that moment. His father is under arrestー _his father,_  the man who has been nothing but caring for him, and never once lay a finger on him in the wrong way.

"My father is getting aー _arrested?_ ... For what?"

"Your father is convicted of a murder and will be brought to the station for further investigations." Is what he gets as a reply, "But he's not here at the moment, and since you are his son, we might have to take you in as well for some questions. Firstly… Do you know where he is?"

Tobio doesn’t respond. He’s too busy taking this whole in, gears still wheeling in his head and has yet to click as a cold sense of dreadfulness washes over him like a filled bucket being poured.

His father is a nice man. He is the opposite of Tobio: he radiates positive vibes and helps everyone despite being troubled himself. He is patient, generous, sweet and all the good things he could describe. He never takes his father as someone to kill another personー _no_ , there has to be some kind of a mix up. His father is just too good of a person, and none of this is making any sense.

He wishes this is a dream, that he'd wake up and see his father hunching over with a newspaper in his hands but it's _not._ Tobio doesn't know what they have done to deserve any of this. He isn't going to forget this either and that's the thing.

Like how there is light and darkness in this world, there must be a balance. While Tobio will always remember his best memories, the worst memories will always be there to haunt him either.


End file.
